Head of Amenemhat III

Realistic style portrait head of king Amenemhat III, wearing the white Hedjet crown of Upper Egypt, made out of greywacke.

This head from a statue shows highly individualistic facial features, which goes against the usual idealizing tendencies.

Amenemhat Ill’s features are clearly marked and give life to a highly individualistic portrait quite unlike the idealized models of the ruler. The cheekbones protrude, the eyelids are heavy, the curves of the mouth evident, and the deep lines that indicate his advanced age express a sense of deep tension.

The high cheekbones, wrinkled face, and bitter, pouted mouth identify the statue as belonging to the 12th Dynasty ruler, King Amenemhat III. The area of Faiyum, largely drained by Amenemhat III, was chosen by the king as his burial place where he built a pyramid and a large funerary complex celebrated in classical sources as the “Labyrinth.”

The are a variety of contemporary sources attesting to the reign of Amenemhat III. Chief among these are the collection of inscriptions left at mining sites throughout Egypt, Nubia, and the Sinai peninsula.

Middle Kingdom, 12th Dynasty, reign of Amenemhat III, ca. 1860-1814 BC. Now in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen. ÆIN 924